I’d like to congratulate Joe Schmidt on his win in “Fantasy/Horror in the Cage” with his short story entitled ~MEAT~. I asked Joe a number of questions about writing, and got some great answers.

Kick back with a beverage and enjoy getting to know this wonderful writer of horror and noire.

When and why did you decide to start writing, Joe?

I started writing in ninth grade. Most kids were paying attention to the teacher; I was busy trying to write short stories that entertained everyone. Edgar Allan Poe was the guy that made me say, “I really want to do this.” His writing entertained the hell out of me. The Cask of Amontillado is hands down one of my faves.

What life experiences best prepared you for being a writer?

I’m not sure how to answer this, my love of reading helped motivate me to want to write—but that’s a general statement to make I suppose.

Please tell us about your latest work and what genre it falls into.

I’ve been writing quite a bit of horror lately, mostly short stories. I am kicking around the idea of a novel, but I’m not sure what genre I would like to take on yet.

What were your inspirations for writing these short stories?

To be honest, the last two stories I wrote, “The Hobby” and “Meat” were a blast to bang out on my lap top. Writing those stories lit a very large fire under my ass.

I know of many authors who usually map out what they are going to write, via note cards, etc.

I just dive in head first and hope the splash is entertaining enough.

To what degree are your fictional characters based in reality?

I try to make my fictional characters VERY believable. I would love my readers to think, “I know a woman/man etc. that’s just like that!” The more believable the character, the easier it becomes for the reader to immerse themselves in your writing.

Can you tell us about any upcoming projects you have in the pipeline?

I’ve been working with Mr. Jesse James Freeman developing his character Billy Purgatory into a three panel comic strip. I’ve also started working on my own strip entitled “Lewis” that has been coming along. Obviously, I have been writing as much as I can—and the idea of starting a book has really been bouncing around in my dome piece lately.

Would you like to experiment with a different genre?

Absolutely! I think it only helps a writer to move outside his/her comfort zone. However, the idea of trying to write a romance novel scares the shit out of me. But I would definitely give it a shot.

In front of the TV, in bed, really anywhere. I can listen to music or podcasts. Noise usually is not an issue.

Do you have any writing idiosyncrasies?

I have to write while wearing a fez. Of course I’m joking—it’s a Viking helmet.

Briefly share your thoughts on traditional publishing vs. indie.

While I would relish the idea of an agent or publisher, it amazes me how simple it is to just hop on Word Press and share your work. Social media has been a HUGE help in getting the word out concerning any of my creative endeavors.

What advice can you share with first-time writers?

WRITE. Do this as much as you can, whenever you can.

Thank you, Joe. It has been a pleasure getting to know you.

Joe’s Bio and Contact Information:

I’ve broken it down into a list of ten items that best represent my personality and essence.